chapter 2.4 outline I. The Assyrians Empire- located on the upper Tigris river A. Assyrians- a semiotic-speaking people who exploited the use of iron weapons to establish an empire by 700 B.C. B. The Assyrian empire included Mesopotamia, parts of the Iranian Plateau, sections of Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt down to the Thebes 1. fell to a coalition of Chaldean s and medes( people who live in the east) and was divided btw. those two powers 2. ruled by kings whose power was seen as absolute that was well organized 3. a network of posts was establish to carry out messages to the Assyrians C. Ashurbanipal-established one of the world's famous libraries ( one of the last Assyrian kings) D. The Assyrians developed an army that was large, well organized, and disciplined 1. used terror as an instrument of warfare a. smashed dams b. looted and destroyed towns c. set crops on fire d. cut down trees 2. especially known for committing atrocities on their captives II. The Persian Empire A. Nebuchadnezzar- made Babylon the leading state in western Asia by rebuilding it as the center of his empire and giving it a reputation as one of the greatest cities of the ancient world 1. fell to Persians in 539 B.C. B. the Persians- Indo-European people who lived in southern Iran C. Cyrus- created a powerful Persian state that stretched from Asia minor to western India 1. ruled the Persians from 559 to 530 B.C. 2. captured Babylon treating his new subjects with wisdom and compassion 3. issued and edict permitting the Jews 4. was called Cyrus "the Great" for many years 5. accepted by a ruler by medes, Babylonians, and the Jews 6. had respect for all people 7. created the Persian empire D. Darius- ruled from 521 to 486 B.C. 1. added a new Persian providence in western India that extended to the Indus river 2. moved into Europe, conquering Thrace and creating the largest empire the world had ever seen 3. strengthen the power of the Persian government by dividing it into 20 provinces, called satrapies a. ruled by a governor b. meaning "protector of the kingdom" c. collected taxes, provided justice and security, and recruiting soldiers for the royal army E. An efficient system of communication was crucial to sustaining the Persian empire F. well-maintained roads made it easy for officials to travel through the empire G. Royal Road- stretches from Lydia to Susana H. The Persians set up way stations that provided food and shelter, as well as fresh horses, for the king's messenger I. At the height, much of the Persian empire power and it's rulers depended on the military 1. created a standing army of professional soldiers that was composed of people from all over the empire a. at it's core was a cavalry of 10,000 soldiers- known as the Immortals J. As the Persians increased taxes to gain more wealth, loyalty to the empire declined K. struggles over the thrown weakened the Monarchy- (ruled by a king or queen) L. Alexander the great conquered Persia during the 330's during the weakening of the thrown M. Zoroastrianism- is a Persian cultural religion N. Zoroaster- born in 660 B.C. whose teachings were written down in the zend Avesta,the sacred book of Zoroastrianism 1. believe that Ahuramazda ( "the wise Lord") was the supreme god who brought all things into being a. was opposed by the evil spirit known as Ahriman b. gave all humans the freedom to choose btw. right and wrong c. taught that there would be an end to the struggle btw. good and evil
I. The Assyrians Empire- located on the upper Tigris river
A. Assyrians- a semiotic-speaking people who exploited the use of iron weapons to establish an empire by 700 B.C.
B. The Assyrian empire included Mesopotamia, parts of the Iranian Plateau, sections of Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt down to the Thebes
1. fell to a coalition of Chaldean s and medes( people who live in the east) and was divided btw. those two powers
2. ruled by kings whose power was seen as absolute that was well organized
3. a network of posts was establish to carry out messages to the Assyrians
C. Ashurbanipal-established one of the world's famous libraries ( one of the last Assyrian kings)
D. The Assyrians developed an army that was large, well organized, and disciplined
1. used terror as an instrument of warfare
a. smashed dams
b. looted and destroyed towns
c. set crops on fire
d. cut down trees
2. especially known for committing atrocities on their captives
II. The Persian Empire
A. Nebuchadnezzar- made Babylon the leading state in western Asia by rebuilding it as the center of his empire and giving it a reputation as one of the greatest cities of the ancient world
1. fell to Persians in 539 B.C.
B. the Persians- Indo-European people who lived in southern Iran
C. Cyrus- created a powerful Persian state that stretched from Asia minor to western India
1. ruled the Persians from 559 to 530 B.C.
2. captured Babylon treating his new subjects with wisdom and compassion
3. issued and edict permitting the Jews
4. was called Cyrus "the Great" for many years
5. accepted by a ruler by medes, Babylonians, and the Jews
6. had respect for all people
7. created the Persian empire
D. Darius- ruled from 521 to 486 B.C.
1. added a new Persian providence in western India that extended to the Indus river
2. moved into Europe, conquering Thrace and creating the largest empire the world had ever seen
3. strengthen the power of the Persian government by dividing it into 20 provinces, called satrapies
a. ruled by a governor
b. meaning "protector of the kingdom"
c. collected taxes, provided justice and security, and recruiting soldiers for the royal army
E. An efficient system of communication was crucial to sustaining the Persian empire
F. well-maintained roads made it easy for officials to travel through the empire
G. Royal Road- stretches from Lydia to Susana
H. The Persians set up way stations that provided food and shelter, as well as fresh horses, for the king's messenger
I. At the height, much of the Persian empire power and it's rulers depended on the military
1. created a standing army of professional soldiers that was composed of people from all over the empire
a. at it's core was a cavalry of 10,000 soldiers- known as the Immortals
J. As the Persians increased taxes to gain more wealth, loyalty to the empire declined
K. struggles over the thrown weakened the Monarchy- (ruled by a king or queen)
L. Alexander the great conquered Persia during the 330's during the weakening of the thrown
M. Zoroastrianism- is a Persian cultural religion
N. Zoroaster- born in 660 B.C. whose teachings were written down in the zend Avesta,the sacred book of Zoroastrianism
1. believe that Ahuramazda ( "the wise Lord") was the supreme god who brought all things into being
a. was opposed by the evil spirit known as Ahriman
b. gave all humans the freedom to choose btw. right and wrong
c. taught that there would be an end to the struggle btw. good and evil